Andouillette

Alex Lake

Alex Lake

Location
Deep South of Cambridgeshire
Greg's post reminds me - when we were returning from the Ardeche a few weeks ago, we stayed in Troyes and dined at a winebar, Aux Crieurs du Vin, where they had Andouillette on the menu. I was with my wife and she didn't want anything too rich (she often finds french food too much for her) and I wimped out and went for something less challenging. Regretting that choice now, as I've yet to experience a proper AAAAA Andouillette. But my question is - how many people here have tried it and did you really enjoy it, or was it just a kind of bucket list exercise? A search has suggested that it makes a good brunch with egg.

Presumably impossible to get a good one in the UK?
 
Been trying to find some here, and looks promising for a few retailers in Quebec, but will wait until the current heightened covid uncertainty has eased. Certainly some restaurants in Quebec have it, although I expect it is undoubtedly a local (regional) product and so won't be AAAAA (unless there is a possibility of Quebec producers registering)
 
I love them too. Whether this or the Cotechino is the finest sausage for cooking in the world is an unresolved question. Good andouillette (Marc Colin in Chablis makes the best I've eaten) is very expensive, reflecting the amount of work involved in their manufacture. They should have a farmyard tang rather than a whiff of the sewer and it is a product on which it is wise not to economise.
 
Thom Blach said:
I love them too. Whether this or the Cotechino is the finest sausage for cooking in the world is an unresolved question. Good andouillette (Marc Colin in Chablis makes the best I've eaten) is very expensive, reflecting the amount of work involved in their manufacture. They should have a farmyard tang rather than a whiff of the sewer and it is a product on which it is wise not to economise.
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"La politique c'est comme l'andouillette, ça devrait sentir la m**** mais pas trop"
 
I'm a fan but wasn't aware of the AAAAA until today, so not sure if I've had one approved by them. The best one I've had was at the Maison des Vins Mâconnais, but also bought them from supermarchés. They make a lovely breakfast/brunch with the yolk of a fried egg running into it and some freshly baked bread from the boulangerie and a good strong unadulterated coffee.
Sadly, no-one I know shares my enthusiasm :(
 
They do vary considerably as suggested above - a supermarket purchase near Dijon almost put me off for life, but a purchase in Lyon’s indoor market soon got me back on the horse. I drank the latter with a pretty cold Chablis as advised by the market stall woman - ‘tres froid’.
 
I've had them here. Can't remember where I got them: it was quite a long time ago. Must have been more than one place, as there were different levels of excrement, and one had a faecal level akin to Leopold Bloom's urinaceous kidneys. I also remember getting some andouille that came sliced like salami, and was really delicious.

I wonder if I got them from the first incarnation of natoora?
 
Google has revealed a few websites selling andouillette and andouille in the UK.

I've not heard of any of the websites though, and all seem to be selling more industrially produced products, rather than artisinal. But that might mean the andouillette are less faecal than they might be.

Does anyone here have any experience of frenchclick dot co.uk, chanteray-online dot co.uk, europafoodxb dot com? I now rather fancy some andouillette and foie gras.
 
No doubt it is a strong aroma/taste, but if they are properly cleaned AAAAA ones, they can be good in small quantity. Would I want to eat a huge plate of them? No, as Simon says, lots of funk there. Just like brett-y wines/beers, a little can be great but you don't really want to drink a full bottle on your own.
 
I wasn't aware of this certification. The andouillettes I've eaten in France have been lovely. It's only the stuff I've bought in Norway that has been stinky. Guess I need to go to France now to check out some authentic produce.
 
Have only had the AAAAA ones and loved them. (Also loved a well cleaned stigghiola in Sicily.)

The French sausage I couldn’t stomach was a Figatelle (Gascon pig liver sausage), which was very rank and cooked somewhat rare!
 
I've had it twice in France. The first time was in Annecy, Haut-Savoie in 1980. I was reliably informed it was from a lamb's colon and it was rather good. The second time was in Reims around 1993. It wasn't wonderful and I was told it was tripe sausage. I've not had it since.
 
Most andouillettes come from pig. The lyon andouillettes was made of veal guts which was banned because of BSE and have been re authorised for the last 2-3 years. Quite mild, I like them but I prefer the pig version. Was unaware of any andouilette made with lamb but indeed, they do offer some at a butcher about 6 miles from our place in Provence so I'll try them when back to France. I miss andouillettes in UK for sure. This is so good!
 
Whilst a keen advocate of trying local dishes in situ and having a relatively experimental palate, I ordered one for lunch when in Epernay once. I have never, ever in my life struggled to get through something so hideous. I appreciate that it may not have been the best example, but when every mouthful makes you want to vomit, I think that one should take notice of ones own reflexes. My abiding memory is the cold sweat the consumption induced as I tried not to embarrass myself at the table. Never again
 
Craig Dennis said:
Whilst a keen advocate of trying local dishes in situ and having a relatively experimental palate, I ordered one for lunch when in Epernay once. I have never, ever in my life struggled to get through something so hideous. I appreciate that it may not have been the best example, but when every mouthful makes you want to vomit, I think that one should take notice of ones own reflexes. My abiding memory is the cold sweat the consumption induced as I tried not to embarrass myself at the table. Never again
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You are a better man than I, Gunga Dennis. I would have stopped immediately!
 
Craig Dennis said:
Whilst a keen advocate of trying local dishes in situ and having a relatively experimental palate, I ordered one for lunch when in Epernay once. I have never, ever in my life struggled to get through something so hideous. I appreciate that it may not have been the best example, but when every mouthful makes you want to vomit, I think that one should take notice of ones own reflexes. My abiding memory is the cold sweat the consumption induced as I tried not to embarrass myself at the table. Never again
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I could not have put it better Craig! An even worse experience than andouillettes was a dish at a truly fantastic dinner at Troisgros. Pure hardcore tripe :

60798CBA-6864-4AF7-9FDF-9A48D32DFABA.jpeg
 
That's honeycomb tripe, which is the least challenging option if one is scared of such things. The hardcore tripe fancier will head for Florence where lampredotto, the fourth stomach or abomasum (and which does look a bit dodgy), is served from mobile vans and is by far the best thing to eat in that culinarily well endowed city!
Tripe is, or should be, very mild in flavour, much more so than andouillette.
 
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